WASHINGTON – The Justice Department has come to terms with several current and former FBI agents who claimed they faced disciplinary actions due to their personal and political beliefs, concerning matters such as the January 6, 2021 Capitol events and views on the COVID-19 vaccine, or due to conflicts with supervisors regarding investigative strategies, according to their attorneys on Tuesday.
Empower Oversight, an organization established by past aides of Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley, reported the resolution of 10 cases, with eight final settlements occurring over the past fortnight. These cases largely involved agents alleging that the FBI’s operations under the Biden administration had become politically biased, a charge refuted by the organization’s leadership.
The agreement leads to the reinstatement of three agents at the FBI, while others are allowed to retire of their own accord, and some are being granted back pay along with other benefits, as detailed in a statement by the organization. The FBI was unavailable for comment via email, although last week Director Kash Patel confirmed via social media that settlements had been reached.
This development occurs even as the FBI, led by Patel, is reportedly reassigning and terminating senior officials without transparent justification. Recently dismissed personnel include a former acting director who opposed a Trump-era request to disclose the identities of agents involved in the January 6 inquiries. The head of the Washington field office, instrumental in those investigations, was also pushed out.
The FBI Agents Association has warned that those terminations were done without due process.
The announced settlements pertain to agents cited by Republican lawmakers attempting to argue that the Biden-era FBI has been hostile to conservative opinions—a claim rebuffed by Patel’s predecessor, Chris Wray. A number of agents alleged bias before a 2023 special House committee tasked with examining what Republicans allege is the “weaponization” of federal entities against conservatives.
Democrats dismissed the testimony, calling the hearing another attempt by Republicans on the committee to help now-President Donald Trump.
Among those reinstated is Steve Friend, who contended he was suspended and subsequently resigned after defying participation in a SWAT operation related to a Jan. 6 suspect arrest, and for his objections to a COVID-19 vaccine mandate.
Another is Garret O’Boyle, who complained to Congress about the FBI’s handling of Jan. 6 investigations. His lawyers said he was suspended after being suspected of improperly accessing and sharing case information about conservative activist group Project Veritas.
Also reinstated was Zachery Schoffstall, whose lawyers say he was disciplined after he complained about the exclusion of what he believed was exculpatory information in an FBI affidavit during an investigation into a white nationalist hate group.
One of the 10 settlements was reached last year, when the Biden administration agreed to restore the security clearance of Marcus Allen, another FBI employee who had accused the bureau of politicizing its work. He formally resigned.
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